21st Century Literature discussion

After the long first part, this one seems quieter (only one trip back from Bergen/Bjorgvin). We learn more about Asle's childhood by the sea in Barmen (but which Asle is the child Asle and how soon did you guess?). Any other thoughts welcome as always. Once again try not to spoil anything that is not clarified until the other two books, but apart from that, all discussion is welcome.

Oof, if there's a hint as to which Asle this is, I missed it. I had been assuming we were seeing different possibilities of Asle's life, and that if there was a "split" between the two, it came later.

Asle frequently refers to the brown house where they used to live together, and he also says he quit drinking when he lived there. I generally don't try to speculate much about books, but let the author take me where they will, but I had the impression that it was in their respective marriages and sobriety vs alcoholism where their lives diverged.

I assumed that the young couple by the playground and the kids in the other tale were both of the Asle's. But from your question, I'm guessing I missed something.

The plot of these books is highly unpredictable and also highly prone to spoilers even in spoiler tags. We get some similarities in both Asles's life only after the end of this part.

Author has answered one of my important question regarding
the 'light' Asle I is trying to see in his pictures, he (Fosse) switched to literature to explain that and i am glad that he did because he has answered my personal question , that has been badgering me for years.

It was interesting to observe how children muse over the various shades of a single colour. I was once told by a therapist that Green colour alone has around 1200 shades, which are not known by names but codes.
I assume that young Asle II is around 10 years of age since he very well knows his likes and dislikes. The repeated reference to Mother's warning both by children and by adults made me anxious beyond reason, as if the very air might hurt them.

Till the end of this book i could observe just one similarity in both Asles that is boat.

It is almost impossible to comment on these spoiler threads having read the later books. Probably best to call the child Asle III at this stage if you are going to use numbers. I am pretty sure the first childhood stories are when they are both small children (5-ish) but as the story goes on they get older.

Random remarks so I’m going to separate them into more than one post.

Part II read quickly, perhaps because I’m getting used to the flow and structure of the book. The reminiscences of Asle’s experience…the first time we encountered the Bald Man, the dread building up inside of me was so strong, I had to keep reading without stopping - until their mother ran up to them.

I literally breathed a sigh of relief because of course, we as adults, know exactly why the kids, particularly Asle, are told to stay away from him.

But the later reminiscence, well, that was exactly what I had dreaded and hoped wouldn’t happen.

If I had to speculate, and this is a pure guess, I would say that at least the first reminiscence was experienced by both of them, and I’m leaning toward the second encounter as well. I lean that way as Asle I drifts into sleep, his last words being Christ have mercy on me. I realize that it’s part of the Catholic chants as a worshipper prays with their rosary, but I found it particularly poignant that Part II closed with this.

What I want to know is how Ales dies. It’s been carefully skirted so far.

Nidhi, I made note of the color conversation Asle and Sister had as well.

She looks at the rowboat and sees brown; whereas Asle sees many different shades of browns. He tries to get Sister to see what he sees, but either she doesn’t see the shades of color, or she just doesn’t consider it to be relevant…to the point she doesn’t see anything but brown.

It would seem to be the earliest indication we’ve had of his artistic eye.

I want to post about visible invisibility as well, but I have to read that part again, particularly since it has to do with that “shining darkness”. It’s a really deep and quite lovely thought process that deserves more thought from me before I post. That section is very evocative, and reminds me of similar references I’ve recently read in a commentary on the Zohar.

As i understand, “shining darkness” is Asle I's most important perception, both for Art and for religion (spirituality). This is something he wants to capture in his works in order to reach God. It has been explained by the author in part V.